Phnom penh: H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Education, Youth and Sport, engaged in a courtesy call and working discussions with a delegation from Hearts of Gold, led by its President, Ms. Arimori Yuko, on Feb. 2.
According to Agence Kampuchea Presse, Ms. Arimori Yuko expressed her pride in the ongoing cooperation between Hearts of Gold and the Ministry of Education, Youth and Sport since 2006. This partnership has led to significant achievements, especially in developing curricula and guidebooks for physical education teachers at various levels. She updated the Minister on the four-year bachelor's degree training project at the National Institute of Physical Education and Sports (NIPES) and unveiled the 'Inclusive Physical Education Mainstreaming Project.' Supported by the ASICS Foundation, this initiative seeks to integrate physical education for individuals with disabilities into the mainstream system.
Ms. Arimori Yuko conveyed her strong hope that these initiatives would continue to enhance the well-being and capabilities of Cambodian youth. H.E. Dr. Hang Chuon Naron expressed his gratitude to Hearts of Gold for its sustained support to Cambodia's sports sector, highlighting its role in encouraging participation from people with disabilities and contributing to Cambodia's successful hosting of the SEA Games.
Regarding sports sector reform, the Deputy Prime Minister noted Cambodia's advancements in modernising sports infrastructure and upgrading stadiums for national and international competitions. He expressed satisfaction with the progress at NIPES and valued the development of soft infrastructure, particularly in curriculum modernisation and ICT integration at the bachelor's degree level, to ensure quality training for physical education teachers that meets regional standards.
He assured that the Ministry would continue to provide technical guidance and policy support for the successful implementation of the undergraduate training programme and the new Inclusive Physical Education project, aligning with established directions.